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Sunday, February 20, 2011

just a little change, small to say the least, both a little scared

So, pretty soon, I'm going to be adding another book to my "read before bed" routine. It's called "the heart of the buddha's teaching", and it's part recommendation/part negotiation with my friend, Heather.

Heather and I (and about ten other people that I don't know) had a little discussion over on Facebook not long ago, where the topic was the movie, The King's Speech, it's rated R rating, and whether or not Mormons would attend, given the fact that the movie has an excellent message and was rated R for some language which (from the accounts of those who have seen it) isn't offensive in the way that it's used.

Incidentally, one thing I have to say about Heather's discussions. She'll often bring up religious issues and points that can be quite charged, and sometimes I have to have a thicker-than-I'm-used-to-since-I-live-in-Utah-where-nearly-everyone-I-associate-with-is-LDS-skin. However, the discussions are definitely civil, and never degenerate into name calling and judgement slinging. I so appreciate that.

Anyway, oddly enough, by the end of the Facebook discussion, Heather (perhaps to her dismay) had agreed to read The Book of Mormon, and I had agreed to read The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching. I've ordered it, and should probably be starting it sometime next week. If any of you are hankering to get better acquainted with either book/school of thought/religion, please feel free to join us in our quest. I'm planning to write some of what I learn/experience as I read on the blog, and knowing Heather, I think she'll probably do the same. (You can read what she's already written about our little agreement here.)(To have the title of this post make sense, you'd have to know that Heather has stated elsewhere that she's very nervous and a little skeptical about reading the Book of Mormon, but is willing to try.)

I'm also a little daunted, to be honest. The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching is over 300 pages long, and if the excerpts I've skimmed are any indication, it's not exactly light reading. Still, it will be good for me, right? I mean, as interesting as the little tidbits in Armchair Reader: The Mammoth Armchair Reader are, something tells me that there is more to be learned out there. I might as well get on it, and if I'm doing it with Heather, it's sure to stretch me and be extra interesting.

5 points for the name of the songno points for the name of the musical2 points for the name of the composerother points awarded by whim

Shoot, I could have gotten this one, but I'm going to go for some whim points here so you might want to get some snacks for this comment.

First of all I was playing UNO with the kids which was Gaston's favorite game before he shot his first Rabbit.

Belle actually acquired her love of books from her father who in his younger days was a student at Oxford before he dropped out after his Freshman year. Unfortunately His version of the Computer didn't work as well as Mr Gates' some centuries later. After Belle moved into the castle Maurice had the capital necessary to move on in his now famous invention of sliced bread.

It's a little known fact that Ms Potts was quite a gambler. She knew that her screechy voice in the song would crack the china and went all in, knowing this would be her last song and she had to bring it.

I had a resident tell me today that the nice thing about Mormons is that they are all good looking with their blond hair and blue eyes. Melissa has blond hair and blue eyes whereas I have brown hair and brown eyes. We are the Mormon version of Beauty and the Beast.

I have something else in common with the Beast. We share the same name and we have both lived in the pacific northwest for a time. I was in school there while he was fighting pasty vampires. In the end it didn't work out with Bell and as well all know now it didn't work out with Bella either. Poor beast.

Here I go to attempt a whim point :) One of my favorite songs is in this Broadway Production. It is called Home and the cool thing about it is that is original to the Broadway Production. No Walt Disney Movie here :)

I'll give you 1/2 a point each for all your little tidbits of questionably verifiable information, and for the whole Jacob/Belle/Bella thing I'll give you two big ones, because that one made me laugh hard enough that Eric had to come over and see what was so funny. So, 4 points total.

Melissa gets 2 points--one for coming up with a song unique to the Broadway version, and another because the song she came up with is one of my very very favorites. If I ever again find myself in a season of life where I'm serious about singing, "Home" is one of the songs that I want to really do.

I can't have Jacob gaining so much on me. so I have to try for more. I actually sang and danced in two of the numbers from Beauty and the Beast in our Stakes "Disney Review" play when we were in Denver. The stake put on a "Big" play each year and one year it was comprised of songs from Disney Musicals.

Anyway, I sang in the opening number "Be our Guest" and Sang and Danced in "Gaston" (the, my what a guy song). Not that it has anything to do with Beauty and the Beast but I was also in the "I'll Make a Man Out of You" number from Mulan and finally, the one that I think should get me at least a couple of points is playing and singing the part of David in "Open the gates and Seize the Day" from Newsies.

All right--I'll give you a point each for the Beauty and the Beast numbers, but nothing for the Mulan number.

It goes against my better judgment, since after having finally seen Newsies, I still can't figure out why it has a cult following among the men in my family, but I'll give you 2 points for playing David and singing "Open the Gates and Seize the Day".

And Robert sneaks by Jacob.

(Which is pretty good timing on your part, since by now, Jacob is almost for sure in bed for the night.)

Do i get any point by telling you that Mrs. Potts was voiced by Angela Lansbury? I only know her because I used to LOVE to watch "murder she wrote." I also had the fabulous opportunity to see Landsbury sing with Motab in their Christmas concert.

Any points for being with my family on a Sunday evening instead of on the computer??? (if I were you - I'd nix this point since it was a matter of coincidence and not a matter of principle...)

OK - I confess - I read the title and jumped right down to the comments. AFTER I made my attempt at whim points, THEN I read the post...

Good for you both - I think you will find many great things in the book. All light and truth comes from God. you will find that most of what you read will edify adn add to your current beliefs. I suspect that in other things, you will see where is was originally founded in the whole truth, that got slightly twisted over the years.

I'll see if they have it at the library - and if so, I'll read it with you.

Okay--a point for knowing about Angela Lansbury. You also get a whim point because of the whole Murder She Wrote reference, because we just happen to have a whole season of Murder She Wrote on DVD in our house right now from the library. What are the chances?

And I'll give you a point for being home with your family instead of by the computer last night--since you asked for it you know.

3 points!

I'm actually kind of excited about the whole reading thing. All I know about Buddhism I learned on a week-long vacation to Thailand, but what I know, I like.

Your words are too kind Miss Charlotte! I have about 70 pages to go in Buddhist book, really enjoying it, will post thoughts upon finishing (many pencil marks in book to remind me) and then on to the BOM!

Okay - so going for a few whim points here. The show that got me hooked on DIY around the house was Trading Spaces. The hostess was Paige Davis. I think I really liked her because she took some pretty kooky designs and helped the people to live with them. One thing about Paige that most don't know is that she spent 2.5 years with the National Touring Company of Beauty and The Beast as Babette the Feather Duster.

She later married Patrick Page whom she met in that same show. He played Lumiere. I never heard, but I don't think Paige took Patrick's last name - that would be awful. Reminds me of the time I met a poor young man while I was working at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo - his last name was Elder. So, he had agreed to spend two years of his life as Elder Elder!

I digress - as usual. This was the first Disney musical I saw on stage. I loved it so much I made my whole family go and I went a second time. The third time, I took my niece. She was about 3 or 4 and it was a glorious time!

Don't ask me why I know the following - but it could be because I watched this movie a lot with said niece!

1. Lumiere in the movie was voiced by Jerry Orbach2. Cogsworth the pendulum clock was voiced by David Ogden Stiers3. Chip the cup was voiced by Brad Pierce4. Belle by Paige O'Hara5. Beast by Robby Benson

That's all I can say for sure. As usual, hoping for a few whim points!

I guess I'd better get crackin' if I don't want Robert and Jacob to out-weasel me on whim points!

I've seen Patrick Page on stage at the USF in Cedar, although I don't recall seeing him in anything where he sang. If it weren't for Brian Vaughn, I would feel bad that he isn't around Utah much anymore.

Okay I haven't been on my computer for two days, so here is my effort to win some whim points. Did you know, when Disney was trying to decide who to cast for Mrs. Potts, they had two different versions of this song - the one we are familiar with and another that has a much stronger pop feel to it. Well, in their negotiations with Angela Lansbury, somehow they accidentally sent the upbeat peppy version to her. She called and told them she was obviously not right for the job and they were SHOCKED because they thought she was perfect. She was shocked because she is not a pop singer and they realized they sent the wrong version to her, sent the right and the rest is history.

"Beauty and the Beast"Alan Menken/Howard Ashman???I have played this song on the piano several times, and have the first few bars memorized. I can quote you this movie a pretty good ways into it. I used to sing this song to my kids every night along with Part of Your World from Little Mermaid.